Baked Sweets

Bakery-made cakes and cupcakes, which can cost from $5-$15 a box, may be marked up by as much as 300 percent.

Super Saver Solution Pick up a box of cake mix ($2.29) and icing ($2.69) instead—but substitute applesauce for butter to make a healthier confection. Even better? Make your own treats from scratch avoiding the preservatives.

Prepackaged Greens

A bag of baby spinach can cost about 50 cents more per ounce than your garden variety bunch.

Super Saver Solution Take a few extra minutes to wash the greens and separate leaves from stems (or from the head, in lettuce's case). Wrap them in a damp paper towel, throw it all in tupperware, and you'll have much fresher, cheaper grab-n-go salad all week.

Spice Blends

Don't waste money on basic blends like Italian or Provencal seasoning, since you've probably got all the ingredients hiding somewhere in your pantry.

Super Saver Solution To make your own Italian seasoning, gather up the dried basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme that you bought for other recipes and mix equal parts of each in a small jar. It's perfect for tomato sauces and dishes like lasagna.

Bottled Water

A six-pack of .5 liter bottles for $7 may not seem like much, but drink one a day and you're spending over $400 a year.

Super Saver Solution Be eco-friendlier and far easier on your budget by getting a filter for your home faucet or a filtered in-fridge water pitcher. Find a cute reusable water bottle that you're happy to carry around, too.

Nonstick Cooking Spray

Name-brand sprays can be found for $3.29 and generic for $2.49. A no-name bottle of heart-healthy canola oil, on the other hand, is $5.59 for 48 ounces. That's nearly 30 cents less per ounce.

Super Saver Solution Create your own nonstick spray by filling a stainless steel or glass spray bottle with bargain canola or olive oil. We like the Misto Gourmet Olive Oil Sprayer ($10; BedBathAndBeyond.com). It will set you back a few bucks initially, but you'll net more in the long run.